WHITSUNDAYS AND TOWNSVILLE:
Continuing: "THE RIDE OF MY LIFE
Our experience in Mackay was a bit of a disappointment. The marina, while having ample berths had very inconvenient facilities, it was 1km round trip to the bathroom from our berth. That, along with Calvin having to go home, the water pump packing it in and the auto pilot needing repairs as well as the weather being too wild for us to leave, we were pretty fed up by the time we left on Sunday 23rd. To add insult to injury we picked up a bad batch of fuel there, so the engine wouldn't run on it. It gave out just as we left the harbour. The thought of going back to Mackay was too much to bear, so we kept going under sail. We had good wind and not too rough seas, the forecast was good. We sailed through Sunday night. Very tricky navigating the Whitsunday passage. I was getting used to sailing at night. By Monday night our battery power was running low, so we couldn't turn on any lights. Fortunately the sky wasn't too overcast. I learned to steer by the stars. I really enjoyed this experience.
By this time I realized that sailing through the Whitsundays was not at all like you see in the brochures. The weather got a little wet, cold and rainy. Instead of bathers and sarong, wet weather gear and anything to keep the wind out. We made very good time, but by Monday night I was exhausted and felt every bit of my 61yrs. David was very tired too but we had no option but to keep going.
Tuesday 25th. It was beautiful to see daylight creeping up, and to feel the warmth of the rising sun on our backs as we approached Townsville. We could see it in the distance, what a beautiful sight!
We were looking forward to some R&R but there was one more problem. How were we going to manouver Nova Vida into position in the marina without an engine? Would Marine Rescue give us a tow? Not a chance! They would only come if someone was in danger. So there we were, drifting about just outside the harbour, no wind and at the mercy of the tide. My genius brother had a bright idea. He had a spare can of fuel which he had bought at Gladstone. He managed to connect it to the engine fuel line. [You will have to ask him how he did it] It was brilliant. I was again very impressed! We had enough fuel for 1hr. So into the marina we went.
Townsville was beautiful! At last we can start our holiday. We did all the touristy things, walked along the beach, took photos', visited the aquarium, took the ferry to Magnetic Island and climbed to the top of the army lookout. All in all we had a lovely time in Townsville.
Friday 4th August [Good bye Nova Vida] We had been on board for exactly one month. We set off on our last journey. Out of the marina, across the bay to the Ross River where Nova Vida would rest on a hard stand at the Ross Haven marina waiting for her new owner to come along. Everything in perfect working order. With mixed feelings of relief and sadness, our last service to render her was to guide her into the lift to have her taken out of the water. There she sat, a perfect lady, waiting to have her underneath water blasted.
For me, my bathers didn't see the light of day. It's been very different to what I imagined, but I loved this experience and I would love to do it all again. Thank you Nova Vida for the ride of my life!"
Barbara Page
Now for a few things Barbara forgot to mention...
Our running aground on a sandbank at the shallow patch of the Mary River known as Horseshoe Bend came as a complete surprise, as we had half a tide under us at the time and had previously motored through there without trouble several times. Perhaps the area has silted up, needing a substantial flood or some dredging to restore previous depths. Whatever the cause, at least the sandy bottom is soft there, so our grounding caused us no problems other than a delay of several hours whilst the boat leaned over awaiting the next high tide.
Calvin jumped ship at Mackay, feeling he had to return to Maryborough so that Centrelink would not fine him thousands of dollars for failing to work for the dole. In his place, his brother Sam joined the boat for the remainder of this cruise. With this change of crew, earlier thoughts of staying long term in a big city likeTownsville or Darwin had to be abandoned.
The bad batch of fuel Barbara mentioned getting at Mackay turned out to have water in it... enough to clog our primary fuel filter and prevent our engine from running. It was a problem easily enough solved once we got into calm waters, but not when fighting our way out of Mackay Harbour into a head wind and big swell (which is where the engine stopped). I achieved a temporary fix when we were becalmed in sight of Townsville Marina... by re-routing the engine fuel lines direct into a jerrycan of clean fuel we had spare. Later, a diesel mechanic in Townsville revived our primary fuel filter with a new element and installed a drain tap at the bottom of it that would allow any water to be drained out if the problem occurred again.
Reluctantly, I began to consider that Townsville might be as good a place as any to sell Nova Vida. I had not yet done all the sailing I wanted to do, but with failing health my sailing days looked pretty limited. Doctors had recently pronounced me a hopeless case and I had other things besides sailing that I wanted to do... so all in all a trip home by train started to look attractive.
The photos at right:
1. Barbara at the helm approaching Townsville Marina
2. The waterfront beach features this wet playground
3. Partying aboard Wesley and Gloria's remarkable ship
4. Sam at the fishing jetty, on the Strand at Townsville
5. One of many beautiful bays seen on Magnetic Island
6. World War 2 observation block on Magnetic Island
7. Coral display seen at Townsville's tropical aquarium
8. Captain Dave smiling in Townsville's balmy weather
9. Nova Vida resting in Rosshaven Marine's travel lift
